Supercharger system for motorized vehicles and related transportation

ABSTRACT

A supercharger system is disclosed herein having a front end, a rear end, an inlet and an outlet, the system contained within a housing, wherein the supercharger system includes a rotor assembly, and a plurality of intake runners that comprise an interlaced cross-runner pattern, wherein the supercharger system comprises a front drive, front inlet configuration and an inverted orientation.

This United States Utility Application claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/110893 filed on Nov. 3, 2008, whichis commonly-owned and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE SUBJECT MATTER

The field of the subject matter is supercharger systems for motorizedvehicles and related transportation.

BACKGROUND

Vehicle enthusiasts are always looking for new devices and materials toimprove the performance and power of the vehicle. One of these engineadaptations is the addition of a supercharger or turbocharger. Engineresponse and power is increases by pressurizing the intake air enteringthe cylinders of the vehicle. Some of the difficulties in addingsuperchargers to existing engines are that they don't efficiently andsmoothly direct air in and out of the supercharger, they don'tincorporate well within the confines of an unmodified enginecompartment, and they don't work to minimize temperature increase andpower consumption, which can lead to parasitic power loss. Onesignificant disadvantage is that supercharger power is taken from theengine crankshaft, which reduces the engine output and harms fuelconsumption.

In some supercharger installations, the original hood of the car must bereplaced by a larger hood in order to accommodate the addition of thesupercharger. In addition, many, if not all, conventional superchargersystems are designed such that they decrease the efficiency of thevehicle or don't operate at maximum potential, because of restrictiveair inlet and outlet plumbing, along with cooling issues.

Therefore, it would be ideal to provide a new supercharger system that:a) is easily and compactly incorporated into a standard vehicle withoutthe need to reconfigure the hood, b) provides improved airflow at lowerpressures and temperatures than existing or conventional superchargerdesigns, c) allows the vehicle to be more fuel efficient thanconventional supercharger systems, and d) meets all CARB emissionsrequirements or a combination thereof, and e) the supercharger systemhousing is integrated into the same housing as the intake manifold ofthe engine.

SUMMARY

A supercharger system is disclosed herein having a front end, a rearend, an inlet and an outlet, the system contained within a housing,wherein the supercharger system includes a rotor assembly, and aplurality of intake runners that comprise an interlaced cross-runnerpattern, wherein the supercharger system comprises a front drive, frontinlet configuration and an inverted orientation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a contemplated supercharger system 100 wherein a portion ofthe housing has been sliced off to show the internal features, whereinthe supercharger system 100 comprises a front end 110, a rear end 120,an ultra low restriction inlet tube 130 and an outlet (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows a contemplated supercharger system 200 wherein a portion ofthe housing has been sliced off to show the internal features, whereinthe supercharger system 200 comprises a front end 210, a rear end 220,an ultra low restriction inlet tube 230 and an outlet (not shown), andwherein the supercharger system 200 is in an inverted configuration.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of a contemplated supercharger system 300,wherein the interlaced cross-runner pattern 355 of the intake runners350 is clearly shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A new supercharger system has been developed that: a) is easily andcompactly incorporated into a standard vehicle without the need toreconfigure the hood, b) provides improved airflow at lower pressuresand temperatures than existing or conventional supercharger designs, c)allows the vehicle to be more fuel efficient than conventionalsupercharger systems, and d) meets all CARB emissions requirements or acombination thereof, and e) the supercharger system housing isintegrated into the same housing as the intake manifold of the engine.In some embodiments, the standard amount of supercharging power can beprovided with at least 25% less boost than a conventional supercharger.And in other embodiments, the standard amount of supercharging power canbe provided with at least 50% less boost than a conventionalsupercharger. Contemplated supercharger systems may be used in anysuitable vehicle, including GM® and Ford® vehicles. Specifically,contemplated supercharger systems may be utilized in a Corvette® orMustang®.

Specifically, a supercharger system is disclosed herein having a frontend, a rear end, an inlet and an outlet, the system contained within ahousing, wherein the supercharger system includes a rotor assembly, anda plurality of intake runners that comprise an interlaced cross-runnerpattern, wherein the supercharger system comprises a front drive, frontinlet configuration and an inverted orientation after installation andduring operation. In some embodiments, contemplated supercharger systemsmay comprise an electric throttle body, an integrated bypass valve, anintercooler system or a combination thereof.

FIG. 1 shows a contemplated supercharger system 100 wherein a portion ofthe housing has been sliced off to show the internal features, whereinthe supercharger system 100 comprises a front end 110, a rear end 120,an ultra low restriction inlet tube 130 and an outlet (not shown). Thiscontemplated supercharger system 100 also comprises a rotor assembly(not shown in full) that comprises two rotors 140—one of which is shown,and a plurality of intake runners 150 that comprise an interlacedcross-runner pattern. This particular embodiment also comprises anintegrated bypass valve 160, an intercooler system 170 and an electricthrottle body 180. Fuel injectors 190 are also shown on this embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a contemplated supercharger system 200 wherein a portion ofthe housing has been sliced off to show the internal features, whereinthe supercharger system 200 comprises a front end 210, a rear end 220,an ultra low restriction inlet tube 230 and an outlet (not shown), andwherein the supercharger system 200 is in an inverted configuration.This contemplated supercharger system 200 also comprises a rotorassembly (not shown in full) that comprises two rotors 240—one of whichis shown, and a plurality of intake runners 250 that comprise aninterlaced cross-runner pattern.

As mentioned, a contemplated supercharger system comprises a housing orhousing assembly, wherein the supercharger system and/or the housing hasa front end, a rear end, an inlet and an outlet. The front end of thehousing is oriented toward the front end of the car after assembly. Therear end of the housing is oriented toward the passenger compartment ofthe vehicle after assembly. In some embodiments, the housing or housingassembly is integrated into the same housing as the intake manifold. Asalso mentioned, a contemplated supercharger system comprises an invertedconfiguration. As used herein, the phrase “inverted configuration” meansthat the outlet of the supercharger system points upward, away from theengine crankshaft.

A contemplated supercharger system comprises a rotor assembly thatcomprises at least one rotor and in some embodiments, two or morerotors. Also, in contemplated embodiments, the rotors are installed fromthe rear of the housing as in a rear drive, front inlet setup; however,instead of using a jack shaft to drive the supercharger from the rear, afront drive setup is utilized and coupled to the end of the rotor shaftfor a reliable and elegant setup, which combines a short, straight inletpath of a front inlet configuration with a reliable and compact frontdrive method.

This type of supercharger system design is novel over conventionalsuperchargers for several reasons. In conventional superchargers, suchas axial flow, positive displacement superchargers, they are arranged inone of two ways: front drive, rear inlet or rear drive, front inlet.Each conventional design has its drawbacks. With the rear inlet design,the air must be routed from the filter box at the front of the car allthe way back to the rear of the supercharger, which is a very long pathhaving lots of bends. That design is quite restrictive and can lead tohigher temperatures and lower efficiency. The supercharger is driven offof the crank pulley at the front of the engine.

Rear drive requires the use of a jack shaft and auxiliary drive belt atthe back of the supercharger. These systems are notorious for failures.

As mentioned, contemplated supercharger systems comprise a suitablerotor assembly, such as an Eaton® Twin Vortices Series (TVS®) GEN VIrotor assembly. Some contemplated rotor assemblies, such as thosementioned above, comprise at least one rotor, and in some embodiments,at least two rotors wherein each rotor comprises at least one lobe, andin some embodiments, at least two lobes. In some embodiments, eachcontemplated rotor may comprise at least three lobes, and in otherembodiments, each contemplated rotor may comprise at least four lobes.Some contemplated rotor assemblies may comprise rotors where each rotorhas a different number of lobes than the other rotor. For example, inone rotor assembly, one rotor may comprise three lobes and the otherrotor may comprise five lobes.

In some embodiments, contemplated rotors comprise a four-lobeconfiguration, wherein each lobe comprises a full 160° twist. The twiston the rotors may comprise any suitable angle, however, and should be atleast 60°. In some embodiments, the twist on the rotors is at least100°. In other embodiments, the twist on the rotors is at least 120°. Inyet other embodiments, the twist on the rotors is at least 140°. Thesedifferent types of rotor designs advantageously improve both volumetricand thermal efficiency over conventional systems, which mean that witheach rotation, the maximum airflow is achieved with the minimum workfrom the engine and a minimum temperature rise in contemplatedsupercharger systems. In some contemplated supercharger systems,suitable rotors and rotor assemblies should also operate much morequietly than conventional rotor assemblies.

Another feature of some contemplated supercharger systems is that theycomprise an integrated bypass valve. The bypass valve is avacuum-actuated throttle plate that divides the inlet and outlet plenumof the supercharger. Under normal driving conditions when horse powerdemand is low, the valve is held open by manifold vacuum. This openvalve equalizes the pressure before and after the supercharger rotorsminimizing any parasitic power loss associated with pumping air. Thatmeans that as long as the valve is open the engine would not use anymore fuel that it would if the supercharger were not installed. When onesteps on the accelerator pedal, and the throttle body opens, themanifold will lose vacuum and the bypass will close, which allows allintake air to pass through the supercharger rotors and for positiveboost pressure to build up in the plenum. What makes a contemplatedintegrated bypass valve unique is its integration into the superchargerhousing. Many conventional kits use external bypass valves that utilizecouplers or gaskets that can leak leading to dangerous runningconditions over time.

Once air exits a contemplated supercharger system's rotors and/or rotorassembly, it is pressurized in the plenum and then passes through arelatively large intercooler. Coolant, such as cool water, flowingthrough the intercooler core absorbs heat from the pressurized air,which effectively increases the density of the air and reduces thevolatility of the fuel/air charge entering the combustion chamber—bothresulting in increased horsepower.

Most conventional aftermarket supercharger kits contain a stock forwardthrottle body that is restrictive and requires the supercharger to workharder in order to achieve a certain amount of air flow. In someembodiments, as disclosed above, a contemplated supercharger systemcomprises an oversized electric throttle, which in some embodiments isat least 85 mm in diameter. A contemplated electric throttle is built toOEM standards with a 356 T6 cast aluminum housing, brass throttle bladeand injection molded gearing, which may be made from glass-filledNylon®. Other aftermarket throttle bodies use machined gears which areknown to bind and cause dangerous stopped throttle conditions.Contemplated injection molded gears are made to the same standards,materials, dimensional specifications and tolerances as the factoryvehicle, such as a factory Ford®, ensuring safe, reliable operation.

Contemplated supercharger systems also comprise a plurality of intakerunners, wherein each runner of the plurality of intake runners is atleast ten inches in length. In other embodiments, contemplatedsupercharger systems comprise a plurality of intake runners, whereineach runner of the plurality of intake runners is at least twelve inchesin length. In yet other embodiments, contemplated supercharger systemscomprise a plurality of intake runners, wherein each runner of theplurality of intake runners is at least fifteen inches in length. Justlike in a normally aspirated intake manifold, long runners maximize lowend torque. Packaging the supercharger down low in the valley of theengine and orienting the outlet of the supercharger upward allows for along, smooth intake runner path with minimal bends. A contemplatedsupercharger system goes one step further and incorporates an interlacedcross-runner pattern resulting in a maximum runner length with no sharpbends. FIG. 3 shows a top view of a contemplated supercharger system300, wherein the interlaced cross-runner pattern 355 of the intakerunners 350 is clearly shown.

All of these contemplated design upgrades allow contemplatedsupercharger systems to overcome many of the disadvantages ofconventional superchargers. For example, conventional superchargersystems mount the supercharger on top of the manifold and blow the airdown toward the bottom of the engine, which means that the air has tomake tight bends, in some instances a tight 180° turn upward and thenanother 180° turn back downward, before entering the vertical intakeport. That conventional orientation also leaves little width for theintercooler down in the valley. Other systems have no defined runners atall, simply allowing each intake port to draw from the common plenum.This design drastically reduces the potential torque gains possible withthe addition of the supercharger.

EXAMPLES Example 1 The Edelbrock# E-Force™ Supercharger System

The Edelbrock™ E-Force™ Supercharger System for the 2005-2009 4.6 L 3VMustang utilizes Eaton's new Gen VI TVS Supercharger rotors, featuring afour lobe design with a full 160° degree of twist for maximum flow,minimum temperature rise, quiet operation. As mentioned earlier, thisall-new design is engineered and manufactured by Edelbrock™—the sameinternals used on the new Corvette ZR-1. This combination improves2005-2009 4.6L 3-valve Mustangs to an impressive 466 horsepower and 439ft/lbs of torque with very low boost (about five psi); this is morepower per psi than any Mustang supercharger system on the market today.

The Edelbrock™ Supercharger is a complete system that maximizesefficiency and performance by minimizing air restriction into, and outof, the supercharger, which results in maximum airflow, with minimumtemperature rise and minimum power consumption. In addition, Edelbrock™inverted the supercharger and packaged it down low in the valley,allowing for an incredible, industry leading, 15 inches of runnerlength, maximizing low end torque. The supercharger housing itself isintegrated into the intake manifold for a seamless design with minimalcomponents, eliminating the possibility of vacuum leaks between gasketsurfaces. The system also utilizes a front drive, front inletconfiguration giving it the shortest, least restrictive inlet path onthe market.

Further minimizing inlet restriction is the massive 85 mm electronicthrottle body that is included in the kit at no additional cost. Sittingright above the supercharger and below the enormous runners is thelargest air to water intercooler available, measuring an astonishing 110square inches.

The E-Force™ supercharger is without a doubt the best looking enginecompartment upgrade imaginable. It features a uniquely styled plenum,and includes matching side covers that hide the unsightly mess of wiringand hoses that Ford scattered all over the sides of the stock engine.

In summary, the Edelbrock™ supercharger will provide the most power atthe lowest amount of boost resulting in excellent performance that issafe to operate on a completely stock engine. It is also “50 stateemissions” legal and compliant.

Specifications

-   -   2300 cc/rev Twin Vortices (TVS) Rotor Group    -   Low boost pressure for minimum stress on your stock engine    -   More power per PSI of boost than any competitive kit    -   Front drive, front inlet configuration for short intake path        without use of a jack-shaft    -   High capacity Air to Water Intercooler system with huge 110 in²        intercooler, and dual core low temp radiator    -   Enormous 15″ long intake runners for maximum low end torque    -   85 mm electronic throttle body    -   Cast aluminum matching engine side covers    -   Integrated bypass valve for little to no decrease in fuel        economy    -   Self contained oil system with 100,000 mile service interval (no        drilling, no plumbing)    -   High Flow Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAFS)    -   High performance reusable air filter    -   41 lb/hr fuel injectors    -   0 heat range spark plugs    -   Electronic PCM programming module, with application specific        tuning    -   Whisper quiet operation    -   Black powder coat finish    -   50 state emissions legal    -   Available 3 year 36,000 mile warranty    -   Bolt-on installation

Thus, specific embodiments, methods of supercharger systems formotorized vehicles and related transportation have been disclosed. Itshould be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many moremodifications besides those already described are possible withoutdeparting from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subjectmatter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of thedisclosure herein. Moreover, in interpreting the specification, allterms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistentwith the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising”should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps ina non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements,components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with otherelements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.

1-24. (canceled)
 25. A supercharger system contained within a housing,the supercharger system having a front end, a rear end, an inlet and anoutlet and comprising: a rotor assembly, and a plurality of intakerunners that comprise an interlaced cross-runner pattern, wherein thesupercharger system comprises a front drive, front inlet configurationand an inverted orientation.
 26. The supercharger system of claim 25,wherein the supercharger system is installed in an engine of a motorizedvehicle.
 27. The supercharger system of claim 26, wherein the enginecomprises an intake manifold having a housing and a crankshaft.
 28. Thesupercharger system of claim 27, wherein the supercharger system housingis integrated with the intake manifold housing.
 29. The superchargersystem of claim 27, wherein the outlet of the supercharger system pointsupward and away from the crankshaft.
 30. The supercharger system ofclaim 25, wherein the rotor assembly is located in and installed fromthe rear end of the housing.
 31. The supercharger system of claim 25,wherein the rotor assembly comprises at least two rotors.
 32. Thesupercharger system of claim 31, wherein each rotor comprises at leasttwo lobes.
 33. The supercharger system of claim 32, wherein each rotorcomprises at least four lobes.
 34. The supercharger system of claim 32,wherein each lobe comprises at least 60° twist.
 35. The superchargersystem of claim 34, wherein each lobe comprises at least 160° twist. 36.The supercharger system of claim 25, wherein the system furthercomprises an integrated bypass valve, an electric throttle body, anintercooler system or a combination thereof.
 37. The supercharger systemof claim 36, wherein the electric throttle body is oversized.
 38. Thesupercharger system of claim 37, wherein the oversized electric throttlebody is at least 85 mm in diameter.
 39. The supercharger system of claim36, wherein the electric throttle body comprises at least one set ofgears.
 40. The supercharger system of claim 39, wherein the at least oneset of gears are injection molded.
 41. The supercharger system of claim40, wherein the at least one set of gears comprises nylon.
 42. Thesupercharger system of claim 41, wherein the at least one set of gearscomprises glass-filled nylon.
 43. The supercharger system of claim 36,wherein the intercooler system comprises at least 100 square inches ofcooling area.
 44. The supercharger system of claim 43, wherein theintercooler system comprises at least 110 square inches of cooling area.45. The supercharger system of claim 25, wherein each runner of theplurality of intake runners is at least ten inches in length.
 46. Thesupercharger system of claim 25, wherein each runner of the plurality ofintake runners is at least twelve inches in length.
 47. The superchargersystem of claim 25, wherein each runner of the plurality of intakerunners is at least fifteen inches in length.
 48. A supercharger systemcontained within a housing, the supercharger system having a front end,a rear end, an inlet and an outlet and comprising: a rotor assembly, anintegrated bypass valve, an intercooler system; and a plurality ofintake runners that comprise an interlaced cross-runner pattern, whereinthe supercharger system comprises a front drive, front inletconfiguration and an inverted orientation.